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Date Posted: 16:47:51 03/16/01 Fri
Author: jackie
Subject: Click Inside.
In reply to: jackie 's message, "Article from Hollywood Reporter Site - Re: GHers Petition/AS - JFP - McT" on 16:45:50 03/16/01 Fri

By Chris Marlowe

Widespread rumors and convoluted relationships are the stuff of which soap operas are made. But the latest plot twists on ABC's "General Hospital" are taking place on the Internet rather than on television.

The confusion began as Emmy-winning actor Sarah Brown's contract came up for renewal Monday. Brown portrays troubled troublemaker Carly Benson, whose dramatic life is entangled with that of Maurice Benard's character Sonny Corinthos.

Meanwhile, ABC hired head writer Jill Farren Phelps, her writing partner Megan McTavish and executive producer Angela Shapiro, who previously worked together on "One Life to Live," to bolster ratings. Shapiro also is president of ABC Daytime.

Also, on March 8, an item was added to Gedstern's GH News, Scoops, Rumors, and Humor fan pages at
www.generalhospital-scoops.terrashare.com, which read: "Jaws dropped on the 'GH' set as verbal sparring ensued between Sarah Brown and Jill Farren Phelps. Many people witnessed the blow-up, and Sarah up and quit right then and there. ..."

When Brown decided not to renew her contract, her fans mobilized into a formidable online force.

"GH" viewer Tracy Porten quoted the item on her Web site at www.communities.msn.com/royalcasino. She told The Hollywood Reporter, "The information there has been very reliable in the past, so I have no reason to not believe it now."

The hive of chat room activity was by then in agreement: The new team had driven out their favorite star in a conspiracy to bring in their own friends as replacement talent. The same thing happened when that trio joined "One Life to Live," the fans said. As viewer Vicki Moore wrote, "The Internet soap opera community is in an uproar."

Obviously, ABC was not part of that consensus. "We are thrilled that the fans have this outlet for their passion and excitement for the ABC soaps, and the Internet continues to serve as a community for fans to enhance their viewing experience," Shapiro said. "It is a disservice to the fans, however, when misinformation concerning the shows is believed as fact."

Shapiro is particularly concerned that fans have denigrated Phelps and McTavish. "The fact about Jill and Megan is that they were extremely successful at 'One Life to Live,' resulting in much critical acclaim and increased ratings," Shapiro said. "The decision was made to bring that team to 'General Hospital' in order to achieve the same goal for a show that was losing audience."

Brown was taken aback to learn about the uproar. "I am very flattered by the commotion this seems to have caused," she said. "But what caught me by surprise was the negative, untrue and false statements going on the Internet about some supposed ill will between me and Jill. It's completely the antithesis of the conversations Jill and I had, which were a mutual admiration
society."

She emphatically denied that ABC did not encourage her to stay. "I don't know what they could have offered," Brown said. "I needed to challenge myself again to be happy, which for me means having the opportunity to spend more time on each script than I can on a daytime drama."

Brown has applied to the American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women to work toward her goal of becoming a producer and director, and she has posted a statement denying the 'GH' rumors at her Web site, www.sarahbrown.net. But not even that could stem the online tide of separation anxiety.

Fan Kathy Jacobs posted an online petition to Michael Eisner, who as chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Co. has ultimate authority over "GH," demanding the immediate dismissal of Phelps, McTavish and Shapiro. The petition appears at www.petitiononline.com/phelps/petition.html. Nearly 2,000 signatures have been logged, and many fans have included fervent written comments. One of the tamer ones, posted by Faith Jones, said: "Don't let Phelps and McTavish ruin 'GH' the way they ruined 'OLTL.' I've watched both shows since Day 1 and absolutely hated what they did to 'OLTL.' "

"My fans are very passionate, which is very sweet," Brown said. "But I want to make it perfectly clear that (my leaving) had nothing to do with money or anything else like that. As much as I was looking forward to working with Jill, the need for me to spread my wings after five years was stronger."

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